With Super Bowl LIX weekend upon us, you should be asking yourself and your friends one simple question. No, that question is not “Kansas City or Philadelphia?” We couldn’t care less about that. We’re talking about something important here.
We’re asking: “Where are we ordering the pizza from?”
Pizza is going to make or break your Super Bowl weekend get-together, whether you’re throwing a big block party or keeping things simple with some close friends and family (or, you know, your dogs). And while, admittedly, pizza is pretty hard to f*ck up — even the bad stuff is still pizza after all — we assume that when you bite into that slice, you’re going to want your taste buds to come alive. The bread has to be good, that sauce has to be bright, and the cheese has to be gooey!
The best way to enjoy the game this weekend is with the best pizza possible, so to help guide you towards the very best we tasted pizzas from 17 different big pizza chains and ranked them all.
Because we aren’t here to debate what the best pizza toppings are (that’s a whole different conversation), we are going to focus on the three elements that every pizza has: the dough, the sauce, and the cheese. We’ll award each pizza a score of 1-5 for each of those categories, total them up, and come to a final score.
Sound good? Let’s dive into the best pizzas from the big chains, ranked!
17. Chuck E. Cheese
Crust: 2
Sauce: 1
Cheese: 1
Total Score: 4
Tasting Notes & Thoughts:
Yes, this is a punishingly low score for Chuck E. Cheese, and to the people who ride hard for this brand, let me just go ahead and apologize to your tastebuds on your behalf. This is by far the worst pizza your money could buy. The sauce tastes like ketchup, the dough is way too sweet, and the cheese is straight-up funky, like feet fresh out of a sock after a day of walking in humid weather. Add to that the fact that Chuck E. Cheese doesn’t have any passable toppings, and you’ve got our least favorite chain pizza by a mile.
I’m one of those people that believes that a pizza is only as good as the cornice (what non-pizza nerds refer to as the “crust,” even though all cooked dough is technically crust), but this is the only pizza that I would give you a pass for leaving the crust behind on.
The Bottom Line:
Flavorwise, there is not a lot of difference between this and Lunchables pizza.
16. 7-Eleven
Crust: 2
Sauce: 1
Cheese: 2
Total Score: 5
Tasting Notes & Thoughts:
Not nearly as bad as the sentence “pizza from 7-Eleven” would suggest but still pretty bad in comparison to what else is out there. But for $5.99 for a whole pie, it’s kind of hard to complain about this one.
My big issues with this pizza are the sauce, which is way too sweet, and the crust which is stale and flavorless. The cheese is clearly some sort of cheap skim-milk-based mozzarella, but we are willing to give it a slight pass since it doesn’t have an off-putting smell like what Chuck E. Cheese has going on.
The Bottom Line:
For the price, it’s a steal, but you could do much much better.
15. Sbarro
Crust: 2
Sauce: 2
Cheese: 3
Total Score: 7
Tasting Notes & Thoughts:
I need to know who is going to Sbarro in Times Square. Why does it exist? I get that Times Square is just one giant outdoor mall and home to some of the worst big chains in fast food, but Sbarro is also a fixture at every single mall in America, so it’s not like people visiting New York City haven’t been to one. So I have to know, who is eating here and why?
This pizza is pretty damn bad. The sauce is thick, heavy, and dominated by garlic and sugar. The dough is bready, chewy, and chicken, and the cheese is tasty, albeit a bit too salty.
This pizza is also insanely greasy. Great pizza often is, but here that greasiness comes across as a bit rancid. It’s certainly not the worst pizza I’ve ever had, but I do struggle to understand how Sbarro has remained in business with pizza this mediocre.
The Bottom Line:
Sbarro tastes like it was made by an alien without tastebuds who has only heard a vague description of what NY pizza should taste like.
14. Round Table Pizza
Crust: 2
Sauce: 2
Cheese: 3
Total Score: 8
Tasting Notes & Thoughts:
I can hear people sharpening the pitchforks now. I get that Round Table has a dedicated fan base, but I don’t really get why. This pizza is pretty average across the board.
The sauce has a strange off-putting sour taste to it, the dough has a touch of sweetness, and the cheese is, like with 7-Eleven, pretty standard part-skim mozzarella. It has a good melt but not a lot of flavor. Still, the cheese is significantly better than the two other core components, and with the right combination of toppings, this comes across as a fairly decent pizza.
The Bottom Line:
It’s decent. If you have a good deal or a gift card, don’t hesitate to use ‘em. But if you can choose to get pizza from anywhere, look elsewhere.
13. Hungry Howie’s
Crust: 3
Sauce:2
Cheese:3
Total Score: 8
Tasting Notes & Thoughts:
I’m convinced the people who love Hungry Howie’s are all from Michigan, which is the home state of this pizza chain. If state pride is forcing you to ride for this pizza, respect. But let’s be honest here, this is pretty unremarkable.
What jumps out to me is the sauce. It tastes heavy on the tomato paste, and has a sort of metallic aftertaste. That sauce greatly overpowers the flavor of the cheese. I think the best pizza sauce elevates a pie, but this one overpowers the cheese and any other toppings you put on it.
I will give it to Hungry Howie on the crust though. It has a great crispy and crunch texture, while still offering a nice amount of chew.
The Bottom Line:
It’s just fine. The sauce really holds this one back for me. Middling at best.
12. Cici’s
Crust: 3
Sauce: 3
Cheese: 3
Total Score: 9
Tasting Notes & Thoughts:
Because Cici’s is an all-you-can-eat pizza buffet, it’s not a great choice for Super Bowl Weekend house parties, but if you want to eat a whole lot of different pizzas at one time, it’s hard to beat this one.
But like with most buffets, Cici’s pizza lacks character. There is no unique flavor to this pizza, it tastes like some sort of general idea of pizza. It’s serviceable, sure, I mean it’s bread, cheese, and sauce, how could you go wrong? But you’d never be able to pick this one out from a blind lineup of pizzas. It’s utterly forgettable.
Which is why we’re giving it threes across the board.
The Bottom Line:
It’s good. Not special. Not noteworthy. It’s about as average as pizza can be.
11. Little Caesars
Crust: 4
Sauce: 2
Cheese: 3
Total Score: 9
Tasting Notes & Thoughts:
For too long Little Caesars has been written off for being cheap. But you know what? This is pretty damn good pizza for the price. The dough is spongey with a crispy pan-fried texture, the cheese is heavy and rich, and while the sauce is a bit sweeter than I’d like, all together it works really well. The pepperoni is also nice and crispy on the edges, which is always a good thing. While that’s not something we are including in our score, we feel it’s worth mentioning.
If Little Caesars made some tweaks to its sauce, it would be able to compete with the big three brands (Pizza Hut, Domino’s, and Papa John’s). But as it stands, its merely good, not great.
The Bottom Line:
Don’t write Little Caesar’s off because of its low price. This is better than people give it credit for.
10. Pizza Hut
Crust: 4
Sauce: 3
Cheese: 3
Total Score: 10
Tasting Notes & Thoughts:
Of the aforementioned big three major pizza chains, Pizza Hut is easily my least favorite. But I will give credit where credit is due — I love the default pan crust. It’s crunchy, stays crispy no matter how long it has been sitting around and reheats better than any pizza I’ve ever had. In fact, I’d argue that this pizza tastes even better the next day!
Where it falls short is the sauce. It’s way too sweet, so thick that it cakes up, and overall dominates the flavor of the whole pie.
The Bottom Line:
Pizza Hut’s unique crust makes it worth ordering. But be warned, this pizza has a thick and overwhelming sauce. The sauce is such a prominent part of each slice that I’d suggest ordering this one with light sauce just to balance things out a bit.
9. Costco
Crust: 4.5
Sauce: 2
Cheese: 4
Total Score: 10.5
Tasting Notes & Thoughts:
I feel like no matter where I place Costco, it’s going to make some people mad. People love to overhype this pizza, and I kind of get it. For just under $10 you’re getting a giant 18” 12 slice pizza. That’s a great deal. Maybe the best deal in all of pizza.
But just because the deal is great, that doesn’t mean I can pretend this pizza tastes better than it does. It tastes just fine.
The best part here is the crust, it’s got a nice crumb and a good chew with a nice balance of bready flavor. The cheese is also very chewy and thick, it leans more salty than creamy but that’s a minor nitpick. Where this one falls apart for me is the sauce. It’s way too sweet. Sure you can taste some other stuff in there, like garlic, herbs, and just a hint of umami, but all of that is drowning under intense sweetness.
The Bottom Line:
The best deal you’re going to get on a pizza. But don’t let savings trick you into thinking this is better than it is. It’s merely pretty good pizza.
8. Papa John’s
Crust: 4
Sauce: 3
Cheese: 4
Total Score: 11
Tasting Notes & Thoughts:
I like Papa John’s, the crust is hand-tossed to order, the cheese is rich and creamy, and the sauce is bright, albeit a bit too sweet.
Where it really shines is the crust though. It has just a touch of sweetness, a whole lot of chew, and is thick and filling, while still being foldable. Best of all, Papa John’s pizza is served with a side of Garlic Butter, which is great for dipping the already delicious crust into.
The Bottom Line:
A good, almost great, pizza.
7. Blaze Pizza
Crust: 3
Sauce: 4
Cheese: 4
Total Score: 11
Tasting Notes & Thoughts:
Blaze Pizza is one of those modern pizza concept restaurants where you can build your own pie, which I get is a selling point but, think about it for a second. Where can’t you build your own pie? Isn’t selecting toppings as you order the same as telling a person behind a counter “add pepperoni, now spinach, now a touch of sea salt?” So I’m not totally sold on the concept or upcharge here.
Minor rant aside, where this pizza falls short is there is a certain soullessness to the flavor. The dough is fresh, sure, but it’s not hand-tossed or slapped by a person, instead, it’s pressed in a machine, forming a perfect circle. It’s like a robot made this pizza.
Great pizza has an imperfect crust. You need a weird random air bubble, an asymmetric crust. Great pizza has heart! And Blaze has none of that. Fight me if you think otherwise!
Crust aside, I love the sauce here. It’s simple, bright, and tomato-forward, and when your pizza is built, and they slide it into the oven, it comes out with a nice charred flavor. The cheese also tastes like full flat mozzarella, adding a nice amount of depth to the flavor, with a great melt. And while that all sounds good, that soullessness still permeates. I can’t explain it, but I’m positive you’ll be able to taste it.
The Bottom Line:
It looks great, and it’s a step above most pizza chains, but it’s missing something imperceptible.
6. Mountain Mike’s
Crust: 3.5
Sauce: 4
Cheese: 4
Total Score:
Tasting Notes & Thoughts:
I’m not sure if this brand is new to California or just new in general, but I’m starting to run in to Mountain Mike’s more and more at parties and get-togethers. Overall, I think this is a pretty solid pizza. The dough has a nice texture and chew to it, though it’s a bit flavorless. The sauce is simple and bright, with a slight herbal tinge, and the cheese is luxurious and creamy, definitely whole milk mozzarella.
All that together makes for a damn solid pie. Much better than a lot of the competition out there.
I’d also like to give special note to the pepperoni. Again, I know that isn’t part of this ranking, but I’m a sucker for curly pepperoni cups with a slight hint of spice.
The Bottom Line:
Mountain Mike’s tagline is “pizza the way it ought to be!” and it’s hard to argue with that. While it could never blow me away, it’s hard to be disappointed by whats here.
5. Marco’s Pizza
Crust: 4
Sauce: 4
Cheese: 4
Total Score: 12
Tasting Notes & Thoughts:
Marco’s might not be one of the big three pizza chains, but it’s just as good, and in some cases better than the big brands. The cheese is salty, buttery, and creamy and Marco’s lays it on thick! The crust is dusted with garlic seasoning, and the sauce tastes the way pizza sauce should. Like someone opened up a can of San Marzano whole tomatoes, crushed them, and added a sprinkle of salt and a glug of good olive oil.
The Bottom Line:
Great across the board — the sauce, the cheese, the dough. A strong foundation for your favorite toppings.
4. BJ’s Extreme Deep Dish Pizza
Crust: 4
Sauce: 4
Cheese: 4
Totale Score: 12
Tasting Notes & Thoughts:
It’s hard to find a fault with BJ’s. The pizza is made to order and sports a perfect combination of crispy, thick, and chewy crust, rich and bright sauce, and creamy cheese. But, and call me crazy, part of me feels like this is just a super elevated version of Pizza Hut.
A large pie from BJ’s will cost you over $30, and for that price you deserve way better than elevated Pizza Hut. If you really want to experience this pizza, I’d just order a personal size. To share it costs way too much money.
The Bottom Line:
If you’re eating for one and have money to burn, this is the play.
3. Mod Pizza
Crust: 4
Sauce: 5
Cheese: 4
Totale Score: 13
Tasting Notes & Thoughts:
I know I just talked a bunch of trash about Blaze Pizza and its build-your-own-pie concept, and Mod Pizza is essentially doing the same thing, but they’re doing it right! Because, unlike Blaze, this pizza has a character and flavor of its own.
Sure, the crust is comically thin, so it’s not a great option if you’re into sharing, but what you get is great. The crust is yeast and crispy, the closest thing to a true sourdough crust that I’ve ever had at a pizza chain.
The sauce pops off the pie with an umami-rich naturally sweet tomato flavor, strong enough to be noticed, but not distracting or overpowering. It perfectly complements the milky mozzarella cheese. I have no criticism about this pie. It can easily be your favorite.
The Bottom Line:
Every component here is working in harmony. Now that’s a great pie!
2. Domino’s
Crust: 5
Sauce: 5
Cheese: 5
Totale Score: 15
Tasting Notes & Thoughts:
Dominos is cheap, convenient, easily accessible, and made with enough care that its a near perfect delivery pizza.
The dough is hand-stretched to order (which will always be a big selling point for us) and features a crispy texture courtesy of a liberal dusting of cornmeal. The sauce is rich and flavorful without being overly sweet. And the cheese has a wonderful salty, nutty and creamy flavor.
I could do without the garlic butter dusting on the crust, but some people swear by it and I can understand where they are coming from. This pizza simply has everything a great pizza should have and doesn’t have any real weak points holding it back.
The Bottom Line:
You can’t go wrong with Dominos. It’s the gold standard by which other delivery pizza chain restaurants should be held to.
1. California Pizza Kitchen
Crust: 5
Sauce: 5
Cheese: 5
Total Score: 15
Tasting Notes & Thoughts:
This is a controversial choice no doubt, but if you haven’t gone to CPK in the last few years, you need to remedy that shit. CPK has revamped its entire pizza recipe (we reviewed every pizza here) and has made all the necessary changes to take this pizza from being interesting to truly great.
The dough is slapped and stretched to order, the recipe has vastly reduced its amount of sugar, turning it in a perfect canvas to build upon. The sauce is bright, natural tasting, and fresh, the cheese is creamy, nutty, and nuanced, and the options for toppings are inventive. If you can’t find a pizza on CPK’s menu that you don’t absolutely love, yes love, than you might not like pizza to begin with.
Here is a list of our five favorites: The Works, Carne Asada, Mushroom Pepperoni Sausage, Thai Chicken, and Original BBQ.
Our pick for the absolute best? The Original BBQ, hands down.
The Bottom Line:
If you want adventurous builds and high quality ingredients, this is the best pizza place to order from.
